Let Her Go
by The Lonely Geek
Summary: What if Regina and Emma had ended up together? They are just living their lives but how will Regina cope when Emma dies in a car accident? Will Regina be able to cope with the death of another lover? Can Henry help her or will she revert to her evil ways? Can Regina let Emma go before it's too late? Rated T for suicidal thoughts. Trigger warnings will be in appropriate chapters.
1. Prologue

_**So there will be a video edit thingy to go along with this fic, but I'm not sure when to upload it because it follows the story so it has spoilers so I'll probably upload it when I upload the final chapter. I would love feedback for this story though, please let me know what you think and how I can improve.**_

 ** _~The Lonely Geek_**

 _ **Let Her Go**_

 _ **Prologue**_

"What do I owe this pleasure to at this time?" Regina asked, seeing David on her doorstep. It was midnight and Regina was exhausted, but she promised Emma she'd wait up for her to return home after her sheriffing duties. David's eyes filled with tears.

"There's been an accident Regina," He whispered and Regina's eyes widened in fear.

"An accident?" She asked. "With Emma? What happened? Is she okay?" She began asking a billion questions. Emma had to be okay. She was always okay. She was a survivor. She was the saviour. She didn't need saving.

But she could only watch as David shook her head.

"By the time they got her to the hospital, it was..." He trailed off for a moment, caught up in his own grief. "Too late." Regina gasped, leaning against the wall, clutching the door frame with one hand, unable to support her own weight. No. This couldn't be happening. Emma couldn't be gone. This was just some sort of sick wind up. But she knew deep down that David was telling the truth. Tears began to stream down her face and David helped her back into her house. "I know." He whispered, helping her to the sofa.

"But she's so..." Regina trailed off, unable to finish.

"I know, she always seemed invincible," David agreed. "She was just driving to Granny's, apparently someone had tried to break in, but it was dark and raining."

"A break in?" Regina muttered. "Who'd want to steal Granny's lasagne? When I find out who did this, their sad little life won't be-" She said, standing up angrily, but David grabbed her arm.

"Regina, no," He told her. "Emma wouldn't want this. You know that." Regina stopped, knowing he was right. She didn't know how she'd cope without Emma. Emma had kept her from going back to her dark ways after Robin died. They had mourned together. Emma for Hook, and Regina for Robin. But they healed together. They were there for each other. Emma had always been there for Regina. She didn't know how she was going to tell Henry. He was going to be devastated. More than devastated. It felt like Regina's world had collapsed around her. It had. Emma was her life.


	2. Chapter 1

_**I've decided that updates will be every Friday, so this week you guys get two updates. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, I love hearing from you guys (plus reviews spur me on to write faster). Please let me know what you think of this chapter.**_

 _ **Chapter 1**_

"She was the most selfless person I know," Regina said, her voice beginning to break as tears fell down her face, as she looked round Granny's at everyone who had gathered before the funeral. Mary-Margaret had asked her to say a few words. She hadn't thought it would be this difficult though. "When Robin died, I thought my whole life was over, but Emma was always there for me. She was also mourning Hook, but she always found time to help me. Support me. Make sure I was still breathing." Henry stood up and walked over to Regina and took her hand. He squeezed it gently and she used her other hand to wipe away the tears before adding. "And I didn't deserve her. In no universe, did I ever deserve Emma Swan, and I am so grateful to have known her. I would do anything, anything to see her one last time." Regina finished, pulling Henry into a hug and walking over to their seats.

"She would've hated all this," Henry said a few minutes later to Regina, taking a sip of his hot cocoa. Regina smiled sadly at him, tears still running down her face. "She's probably looking at us right now rolling her eyes."

"In that ridiculous leather jacket of hers," Regina agreed.

"Mind if I take a seat?" Mary-Margaret asked, walking over to the two of them Regina just shrugged. She knew there would probably be a hope speech coming, but she was too upset and angry to object. They had never even found out who had tried to break into Granny's. "Henry, I think David found something of Emma's at our apartment that he wants you to have." She said. Henry took the hint and picked his mug up and scooshed past Regina to get out and he went over to David who was talking to Archie.

"What's this hope speech then?" Regina muttered, looking up at Mary-Margaret.

"It's not a hope speech," Mary-Margaret told her. "I just wanted to see how you are. None of this can be easy."

"None of this can be easy," Regina repeated. "Every single time I open my heart to love, they always die."

"That's not true," Mary-Margaret argued. "You still have Henry."

"What use am I to him?" Regina asked bitterly. "I'm a mess. He deserves better than me."

"But he wants you," Mary-Margaret reminded her. "Your his mum Regina, he needs you."

"And what about I need?" Regina asked, her eyes flashing with anger. She knew she wasn't being fair. Henry needed her more than ever now Emma was gone, but she was just so angry with everyone. Emma shouldn't have died. Emma was the only person she wanted to see these days. Henry tried to be there, but he didn't know what it was like for Regina. It was just her instinct to push Henry away now. She didn't want him getting killed too. "I need Emma."

"Don't we all?" Mary-Margaret sighed. "You don't think I know how you feel? She was my daughter Regina."

"You still have David and Neal," Regina objected. "You've always had it all."

"No I haven't Regina," Mary-Margaret said, shaking her head. "Have you forgotten what it was like when David came out of the coma when we were cursed? I've just always had faith that things would work out and they normally do."

"And there's the hope speech," Regina said, glaring across the table. "You think this is everything working out?" She snarled, standing up and walking over to Henry. "Come on, we should get going Henry."

"But I was just-" Henry protested but Regina led him out of Granny's.

"It's been a long day and you've got school tomorrow," She told him and Henry just stared at her.

"School?"

"Yes Henry, school," She told him. "The place you're supposed to go everyday to learn things." She knew that she needed to pull herself together. It would be better for Henry if things went back to normal as soon as possible.

"I don't want-" Henry began but Regina cut him off.

"If you don't go back straight away it'll only make it harder when you do," Regina told him. "Just give it a go, please." She said but Henry didn't reply.

 _ **A few hours later**_

Regina smiled sadly as she switched the light off in Henry's room and went back downstairs. She needed a cider. She poured herself a glass and flopped onto the sofa, kicking her heels off and curling her feet up on the sofa. It used to drive her crazy when Emma did it. She gazed across the lounge at a photo above the fireplace. It was of the three of them when they went away for a few days to Barcelona. It had been Emma's idea originally. It was maybe a year after the final battle. She wanted to show Regina more of the world. It had been the best few days of Regina's life.

It was then that it hit Regina. Maybe a break was what she and Henry needed. To get away from the sadness surrounding their lives in Storybrooke. She downed the rest of her cider as she started googling away on her phone. Maybe not Barcelona, somewhere quieter. Where they could be alone. To give them time to heal together. Regina needed Henry as much as he needed her.


	3. Chapter 2

_**Hope you enjoy**_

 _ **~The Lonely Geek**_

 _ **Chapter 2**_

 _ **The next day**_

"School then?" Henry asked, walking into the kitchen to the sound of frying bacon. He sniffed the air in confusion. Regina never did fry ups. She moaned at Emma about how she was going to kill them all with her unhealthy eating habits whenever Emma did a fry up. Regina turned around and smiled at Henry. She kissed his head before turning back to the frying pan.

"I thought about it," Regina told him. "And I think we could do with a week away. Just us two. Once we've eaten breakfast we're gonna pack and go. I've already spoken to Mary-Margaret and she's said she'll take over being mayor if there's any problems while we're away. If you want to of course." Regina said. Henry smiled and hugged her.

"I think it's a great idea," He told her. "Can I expect a fry up everyday now?" He asked eagerly. Regina rolled her eyes slightly. He reminded her so much of Emma.

"No," She said quickly. "I don't want your arteries getting clogged up. Now go pour us a glass each of orange juice."

"Sure mum," Henry said, taking the carton of orange juice out of the fridge. "Why the sudden change of heart?" He asked. Regina shrugged.

"It just feels right," She told him. "We have to move past this at some point. It took me so long to get over Daniel and then with Robin I had Emma, but now..." She trailed off, remembering how they had fallen in love. "I'm kind of an expert with having my heart broken through death. Trust me, it's easier to try and move on quickly." Henry looked at her slightly concerned. He wasn't sure that this was any better than wallowing in her misery. At least then she was allowing herself to grieve. He didn't want to upset her though, so he said nothing.

"Where are we going then?" Henry asked, gazing at the photo of him and Emma pinned up on the fridge. It was still hard to remember that his mum was really gone.

"You'll just have to wait and see," Regina smiled.

 _ **A few hours later**_

"Mum, I need the toilet," Henry complained, staring out of the window at the sign for a diner.

"I told you to go before we left," Regina sighed. "You are so like your mother." She said, before silently adding. "Before she went and died on me." But she knew she couldn't. It wasn't Emma's fault she was dead. And she was supposed to be giving these few days to Henry. To let him grieve. He had just lost a mother after all. She needed to stop being selfish and help him. That's what Emma would tell her if she could speak to her again anyway.

"And you fell in love with her," Henry reminded her.

"Henry can I ask you something?" Regina asked him suddenly as she turned off so that he could go to the toilet.

"Sure mum," He said. Regina pulled into a parking space, switched off the engine and looked at Henry.

"How are you okay?" She asked. "With any of this? I mean you're upset obviously, but you seem fine. Like just now you can make jokes and stuff like you did before Emma died. Does that not make you sad?" She couldn't work Henry out. He was technically an orphan now that Emma was dead and Neal had died ages ago, but he still seemed his cheerful self.

"Mum wouldn't have wanted me to be upset," He replied simply. "That doesn't stop me being upset, but there are other ways to mourn instead of moping around and crying all day. I just want to live life to the full, for mum. For all the days that she never will." Regina's eyes filled with tears at his words.

"Well how about we go into this diner and you can go to the toilet, and then we can grab a couple of those horrendous cheese toasties, in honour of her? For all the ones she can't have." Regina asked Henry and he nodded.

"She'd be rolling her eyes at you calling them horrendous though," He smiled as they got out of the car and Regina took his hand as they walked into the diner.

"Yeah," She agreed. "She would, followed by some sarky comment about how I eat like a rabbit just because I like to stay relatively healthy."

"You can stay relatively healthy without eating green things all the time,"

"I'm sure Emma was a bad influence on you," Regina smirked. It pained her so much to talk in the past tense about Emma, but she needed Henry to think she was beginning to move on. It might bring him some peace too. "Before she came to Storybrooke you never insisted on going to Granny's for all those fatty meals and you just shut up and ate your salads without complaint."

 _ **The next day**_

Regina jumped slightly as Henry came out onto the back porch at the cottage they were renting out. She put her glass of wine down and turned from the sea view to look at her son who sat in the chair next to her and passed her a sheet of paper. Regina looked at it and her eyes began to glisten with tears.

"Still not got your author power's fully under control?" She asked him, gazing at the page. Henry must've bought the quill and an empty book with him. Henry nods as Regina gazes down at the picture. It's of Emma in her car. Just after the accident.

"I don't even remember bringing the book or the quill and ink with me. It just kind of...happened." Henry explained. Regina looked at the picture carefully. There was a line of blood dripping from Emma's forehead and she was slumped forwards onto the steering wheel.

"I always said that car was a death trap," Regina muttered. "It's been ages since any of your author powers have done anything."

"The last time was just before the final battle," Henry nodded. "Because the story was ending."

"Maybe because of what happened with Emma it kick started the powers again," Regina mused. "I'll see if I can find anything on it when we get back to Storybrooke." She held the piece of paper out to Henry but he shook his head.

"You have it," He told her before turning around and going back inside. Regina stared at it for ages after he had gone. Just at the picture, not the writing. She could hardly bear to look at a picture of her dead, let alone read about her dying. She wanted to rip it up and scatter the pieces in the sea, but it could be needed when she was looking up things about the Author's powers. She sighed sadly, maybe this whole holiday idea hadn't been her best plan after all. It only made her miss Emma even worse than before.


	4. Chapter 3

_**Thank you for all your reviews, they mean so much to me. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**_

 ** _~The Lonely Geek_**

 _ **Chapter 3**_

 _ **Warning: Suicidal thoughts**_

 _ **A few days later**_

"School then?" Regina asked Henry, passing him his plate of scrambled eggs the morning after they got back. He nodded, taking the plate from her.

"Thanks," He said. Regina smiled at him. She was glad that Henry seemed to be doing well considering everything that had happened. He was slightly quieter than usual, but that was to be expected. Regina wished she was like him and could just move on. She wasn't though. There was an ache in her heart that left her empty and it felt like nothing would fill it.

If anything this was worse than when her mother killed Daniel. With Daniel, she knew that if her mother found out about them, it wouldn't end well but now with Emma. They had been fine. Everything had been going well. They hadn't been fighting some villain. They had just been living their lives.

An idea formed in Regina's mind. Maybe there was a way she could get Emma back. Maybe if she used a sleeping curse. Maybe just maybe Emma might be allowed to come back just to break the curse. Maybe she could see her just one last time. The risk would be worth it. To kiss and see Emma one last time and if it didn't work, what did it matter? She had never deserved to be Henry's mother. Mary-Margaret and David could look after him just fine. He'd probably be better off with them anyway. That's the lie she told herself anyway. She knew Emma wouldn't want her to do it, but she couldn't help her selfish desires. She had to see Emma just one last time.

She knew that she didn't have all the ingredients for a sleeping curse in her vault, but none of them were hard to come by. She could have it complete by tomorrow morning. As soon as Henry left for school she began to make the necessary preparations.

 _ **The next day**_

"I'm sorry Emma," Regina whispered, the tip of the needle dripping with sleeping curse and poised to prick her finger.

"Mum!" Henry yelled, running into the vault, his trainers skidding on the highly polished floor. "No!" She turned and saw him. In his hand he was clutching the letter she had written to him, explaining what she had been about to do.

"Henry?" Regina said in amazement, lowering the needle. "But you left for school."

"I left my pencil case behind," Henry said, snatching the needle from his mum's hand throwing it on the floor. "You can't mum. I've already lost one mum, I can't lose another. What were you thinking? This would never work."

"Henry I'm so sorry," Regina whispered. "I was desperate. I need to see Emma. Just once more. I have to."

"Going under a sleeping curse isn't going to help anything," Henry told her. "You were just trying to escape your problems, as usual." Regina looked him in the eye, hoping for some hint of forgiveness, but they were hardened.

"I promise you Henry, I will get Emma back somehow. I don't care how long it takes and what kind of magic it will take, but I will do it."

"I know it sounds harsh mum, but maybe you just need to let her go," Henry told her. "She wouldn't want this and no one can bring back the dead."

"Whale did," Regina said quickly, her eyes widening with excitement.

"No," Henry told her. "You know what happened when he resurrected Daniel."

"She'd be back though," Regina argued. "Don't you want that?"

"Of course I want her back," Henry told her. "But she's gone. No one can bring back the dead. She wouldn't want this. You know that."

"I don't care," Regina told Henry. "I need her back and you deserve to have Emma back."

"It's not about what we deserve it's about what's better for us. And what would be better for you is to grieve but let go." Then he turned away from Regina. "I should get to school."

 _ **Later that day**_

"Henry, please talk to me," Regina said, walking over to Henry's bed and putting a hand on his shoulder. She couldn't see him properly in the dark room but she knew that he was only pretending to sleep.

"I'm trying to sleep," He replied and rolled over in his bed so he was facing away from Regina.

"I'm sorry," She told him. "I was dumb."

"Yep," Henry agreed, but he still wouldn't face her.

"I'm not as strong as you Henry, I wish I was," Regina said. "But I'm not. I just... I just need time. Emma meant a lot to me, you know that."

"She meant a lot to me too," Henry said, blinking back tears so that Regina didn't see how upset he was. "She was my mum."

"I know," Regina whispered. "I'm sorry Henry, I really am." But Henry didn't reply so Regina just crept out of his room. It was only when he heard the click of Regina's door opening and closing that he began to cry.

Regina closed the door behind her, silent tears falling from her eyes. She walked over to the window and opened it, finding her room too stuffy. As she opened the window, she leaned her elbows on the windowsill and gazed up at the night sky. The sky was an inky blue and there were pinpricks of light scattered across it. If Emma was still here they would probably be sitting in the garden with a glass of wine each. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a shooting star. She knew that it was a dumb idea but she couldn't help making a wish.

"I wish to talk to Emma Swan," She whispered. She stared at the sky for a couple more moments, waiting, but nothing happened. She sighed. "Stupid star." She muttered before getting into bed, unable to get comfortable with one half of the bed empty. She was so used to Emma's warm body lying next to her that she was struggling to sleep anymore, but she eventually managed to doze off.


	5. Chapter 4

_**It's a day early cos I'm on holiday tomorrow so I wouldn't have been able to update otherwise. I think you're all gonna love this chapter, I certainly found it the best to write.**_

 _ **~The Lonely Geek**_

 _ **Chapter 4**_

"Regina," Regina spun around and the familiar voice and to her amazement saw the one person she had never expected there: Emma.

"Emma?" Regina whispered, not quite believing it. She ran over to Emma, wrapping her arms around her. "Ho-how is this possible?" Regina asked, not letting go.

"Hey could you stop suffocating me?" Emma laughed, and Regina stopped hugging her abruptly, afraid that she had hurt Emma. Emma smiled and took Regina's hand. "Though I don't think I can technically die twice."

"How are you so-" Regina broke off, trying to find the right word. "Casual about all this? You're dead."

"I know," Emma shrugged. "It's not so bad you know."

"But how is this possible? How are you here?" Regina asked.

"I'm not," Emma told her. "You know that Regina. I'm not real. But you're dreaming."

"But you're here," Regina argued. "You're real to me."

"Of course I am," Emma smiled, kissing Regina, laughing slightly at her confused expression. "I'm here yes, but where is here? This is all a dream."

"Wait what?" Regina asked, completely and utterly confused by now. "You know what, I don't care. You're here now and that's all that matters. Why didn't you appear in my dreams before?"

"Remember that stupid star?" Emma asked and Regina chuckled slightly. "A wish was all it took."

"But you can't come when I'm awake?" Regina asked and Emma shook her head.

"It doesn't work like that, sorry," Emma told her. "We have each other now though."

"It's better than nothing," Regina said, kissing Emma before they began to wander. Regina wasn't really sure they were. It kind of looked a bit like the forest in Storybrooke, but she didn't recognise the area.

"You can't pull another stunt like this morning again," Emma told her. "Henry needs you. If I could've I would've been running into that vault and slapping you for even thinking about it."

"I know," Regina sighed. "I just needed to see me."

"No Regina, you were being selfish," Emma told her. Regina looked Emma in the eye and knew that she was right. This was one of the reasons she loved Emma so much. She was always so brutally honest. Even if it hurt. "You still have Henry. You need to forget about me."

"How am I supposed to do that?" Regina asked her. "If it were the other way round, if I had died, would you be able to just forget about me?"

"I'm not saying it's going to be easy," Emma told her. "But you have to. For your own sake, and if not for your sake, for Henry's. Or mine."

"You know selfishness wasn't the only reason I was going to go under a sleeping curse," Regina told Emma.

"Stop changing the subject," Emma told her.

"No Emma, listen, please," Regina begged. "I could feel her rising back to the surface again. I don't know how long I can keep her suppressed."

"The Evil Queen?" Emma asked. "But you separated yourself from her."

"And then I took some of her hate Emma," Regina told her. "She's a part of me still. I had to accept that and I still do."

"But you're scared that this might cause her to make a reappearance?" Emma asked and Regina nodded. "But she didn't after Robin died." Emma said and Regina sighed at the name of her former lover.

"I had you then Emma," She replied. "I don't think I can do it now, without you."

"You still have me," Emma told her, placing her hand where Regina's heart was. "In here."

"Could you sound anymore corny?" Regina asked, smiling and Emma began to laugh.

Regina could still hear the sound of Emma's laughter when she woke up. "Emma?" She whispered, sitting up in the bed, looking around. The room was empty though. Regina smiled slightly as she got out of bed. She had spoken to Emma. Emma was still out there somewhere. She still existed in some form or other, even if she was dead. That meant she could get Emma back somehow or other. It meant it could be possible somehow.

"I thought we'd go to Granny's for breakfast today," Regina told Henry when he came downstairs for breakfast.

"Bribing me by taking me Granny's isn't going to work," Henry told her.

"It's not a bribe," Regina said quickly. "I just wanted to spend some time with you. I was an idiot yesterday, but I'm not going to try something like that again. I'm going to be here for you Henry, I promise." Now she had seen Emma, things didn't seem so bad anymore. She could survive another day. If only because it meant that she would see Emma once more when she went to sleep.


	6. Chapter 5

_**Hope you enjoy, and please let me know what you think.**_

 ** _~The Lonely Geek_**

 _ **Chapter 5**_

 _ ***Trigger warnings: suicide/suicidal thoughts**_

"I'm exhausted," Regina told Henry. "I'm going up to bed."

"It's only seven o'clock though," Henry said, looking at the clock on the wall in confusion. Regina hesitated, thinking up an excuse.

"Well it was a long day at work," She replied, walking over to the door. "I'm trusting you to go to bed at the normal time."

"You said that you only had paperwork to sort through today though," Henry pointed out, suspicious that his mum was going to bed so early. When Emma had still been alive, she had often stayed up until the early hours of the morning, waiting for Emma to get back from her sheriffing duties.

"I just need some extra rest, okay?" Regina sighed, wishing that Henry could just leave it. He'd think that she was going crazy if she told him the real reason for wanting to go to bed early.

"You know that he's staying up playing video games?" Emma laughed when Regina opened her eyes.

"As long as he's happy," Regina replied, taking Emma's hand and squeezing it.

"You really should spend more time with him instead of coming to see me," Emma told her. "That's what would make him happy. Spending time with you."

"I'm selfish though," Regina replied. "Always have been, always will be."

"I don't think that's true," Emma told her. "I think someone truly selfish would have sought revenge on the person who broke into Granny's that night."

"I spent too long seeking revenge on your mum," Regina shrugged. "And look where it got me, to you. The best thing to ever happen to me."

"Henry is the best thing to ever happen to you," Emma corrected her.

"And who gave birth to him?" Regina smiled, her eyebrow arched. "I miss you so much Emma."

"I know," Emma sighed. "But that's life."

"Or the lack of it," Regina whispered. Emma leaned in and they began to kiss, their tongues interlacing.

"Did that feel like a lack of life?" Emma whispered when she pulled away. Regina couldn't help but smile slightly.

"When I'm asleep, I'm the most alive I've felt since the crash," Regina told Emma.

"I know," Emma said, tucking a strand of hair behind Regina's ear. "And that's okay."

"Is it?" Regina asked. "I've not been there for Henry."

"He knows things are difficult. He knows you're trying," Emma argued.

"Not enough," Regina told her, admitting her worries to Emma. "Maybe he'd be better off without me. Maybe he should go and live with your parents." Emma spluttered with laughter.

"Who was it who believed that you could become a hero when no one else did?" She reminded Regina. "He wants you. He needs you. You're his mum."

"No," Regina shook her head. "You were his mum. Before you came to Storybrooke, he felt alone and like I didn't love him."

"But you did," Emma argued.

"I didn't make him feel like it though," Regina argued, tears welling up in her eyes. "Maybe it would just be better if I weren't in the picture."

"Regina what are you saying?" Emma asked, suddenly scared, realising what Regina was saying.

"I could join you," Regina said, formulating a plan. "We could be together and Henry would be happy."

"No!" Emma argued. "He could never be happy without you."

"Yes he could, he doesn't need me," Regina told her. "He'd be better without me."

"No he wouldn't," Emma replied, taking Regina's hand and squeezing it. "He needs you, you're his mother."

"No one needs me," Regina whispered as the world around her began to fade.

"I do," Emma told her, hugging her just as Regina woke up, but Regina never heard her next words because she woke up too soon. "And I need you with Henry."

The words 'I do' were still echoing around in Regina's head as she sat up in bed. Emma needed her. She had to get to Emma, no matter what the cost. She looked outside and saw it was still dark. She slid out of her bed quickly before she could think too hard about her decision. Emma needed her and that was all that mattered. Henry could survive without her. He always managed to move on. She had to get to Emma, no matter what the cost.


	7. Chapter 6

_**Thank you for all your reviews.**_

 _ **~The Lonely Geek**_

 _ **Chapter 6**_

 _ **Warning: Suicide**_

Regina took a deep breath as she tipped her head back and downed the poison in one gulp. She felt the poison begin to make its way into her and she collapsed to the ground. The last thing she saw before her eyes closed was Emma standing over her, about to press her lips against Regina's.

Blearily, Regina opened her eyes to see white all around her. Then she remembered Emma kissing her. "Emma?" She croaked, sitting up.

"Mum?" Henry said, standing up from the chair by her bed.

"Where's Emma?" Regina asked in confusion, looking around. Emma had been there. She had kissed her.

"I'm here," Emma said, appearing at the foot of her bed.

"Emma," Regina smiled. "We're together now right?"

"Mum?" Henry asked, following the path Regina's eyes had moved to. "Emma's not here, she's..." He trailed off.

"But she's right there," Regina argued pointing.

"No I'm not," Emma told her. "Only you can see me."

"But..." Regina trailed off.

"I'm going to get Doctor Whale," Henry told her, rushing from the room, scared.

"What were you thinking Regina?" Emma yelled. "Henry needs you, what were you doing? I don't care if you want to be with me. What we want doesn't matter as far as our son's happiness is concerned!"

"How did I survive?" Regina asked confused as Henry came back in with Whale.

"I don't know," Whale told her. "The poison should've killed you."

"It was me," Emma told her. "Remember that kiss? I was drawing the poison out of you but it was already in your system. Kept you alive long enough for Whale to save you."

"Why did you do that?" Regina asked Emma. "I wanted to die, I wanted to be with you." Whale looked at Henry in confusion who shrugged in reply.

"She was talking about Emma before you came, I think she thinks that she's hear," Henry told him.

"Hallucinations can be a side effect of the drugs we gave her," Whale told her. "I'll give her some sedative until it wears off."

"No!" Regina yelled, trying to stand up to move away from Whale, she needed to talk to Emma. She was too weak to fight back though and Whale easily managed to jab her with a sedative and lowered her onto the bed. "I'm sorry Emma." Regina whispered. "Forgive me Henry." Before she was pulled back out of consciousness.

"I thought you were beginning to get over me you know," Emma told Regina while she was dreaming. "I want you to get over me."

"How could I ever get over you?" Regina asked Emma. "You were-are the love of my life."

"No," Emma shook her head. "Henry is. You need to stop thinking about your self and wake up Regina. He's been patient so far, but none of this has been easy for him. You know that, one mother is dead and now the other just attempted suicide. How would you feel in that situation?"

"I was selfish," Regina admitted. "But you had said you needed me. I thought I was doing the right thing."

"Did you not hear what I said after that?" Emma asked. "Henry also needs you." Regina shook her head.

"I woke up after you said you needed me." She told her, confused.

"I do need you, but our son needs you more," Emma told her. "We have each other in your dreams, Henry needs you in reality."

"I doubt he even wants me anymore after that," Regina replied. "He must hate me."

"Maybe," Emma shrugged. "But he's believed in you before. He believed you could be redeemed when you were the Evil Queen when no one else did."

"I really don't deserve him do I?" Regina asked and Emma shook her head.

"I didn't either though," She said, taking Regina's hand and squeezing it. "I'm not saying this is gonna be easy for either of you, but it's for the best. You two need each other-" Regina cut her off though.

"We need you,"

"Well tough," Emma said. "I've tried doing this the nice way, but it's not working. Regina I know you're hurting but you have to let me go. I don't care what it takes, our son needs you back. And if that means a wake up call for you so be it."

"What do you mean?" Regina asked, suddenly scared by Emma's tone.

"I can't keep coming to see you forever you know," Emma told her. "Sooner or later I'm going to have to stop."

"No!" Regina cried out. "You can't, I still need you."

"We shouldn't even be talking right now," Emma reminded her. "If not seeing you anymore is the wake up call you need-"

"No, I'll be there for Henry," Regina said quickly. "Please Emma, don't leave me. I need you." But Regina was pulled back to consciousness before Emma could reply. When Regina opened her eyes she saw Mary-Margaret sitting next to her bed at the hospital. Regina tried to sit up, but she started coughing and Mary-Margaret handed her a glass of water with a straw. Regina sipped it gratefully. "Where's Henry?" She asked after a few seconds.

"At school," She replied. "We thought it best for him to get back to normal routine. We need to talk though Regina." Regina sighed.

"Please don't give me an earful, I've just had one from Emma," She muttered without thinking about what she was saying. Mary-Margaret looked concerned.

"Regina, Emma's-"

"Dead, I know," Regina replied. "I have these dreams, and they feel so real. That's all I meant."

"Dreams?" Mary-Margaret questioned, sounding worried. "Regina, I think you need to speak to Archie. This isn't healthy for you or Henry."

"I don't need to talk to a cricket," Regina snapped. Mary-Margaret took a deep breath in, wishing Regina for once would do what was best.

"Regina please, we're worried. All of us," She told her. "And Henry-" Mary-Margaret broke off. "He's already lost one mother Regina."

"I was dumb, I know," Regina told her. "I was... I was selfish. And I understand if he wants to live with you from now on." Mary-Margaret shook her head though.

"Something's come over him, he's being really mature about it all. He says if you need time he wants to stay with David and I, but he wants to be there with you."

"After everything I've done?" Regina asked and Mary-Margaret nodded. "I really don't deserve him."


	8. Chapter 7

_**This is the last chapter, so thank you to everyone reading, I hope you've enjoyed. The link to the video I've made to go alongside this fic, is at the end of the chapter. Please let me know what you think :)**_

 _ **~The Lonely Geek**_

 _ **Chapter 7**_

 _ **A week later**_

"I don't know why he still loves me," Regina told Emma. "I'm the world's worst mum."

"But you're his mum," Emma reminded her. "Besides, you aren't the only one that I visit."

"You see Henry too?" Regina asked and Emma nodded.

"Not as much as you," She told her. "But yes. I remind him that it's difficult for you and you do love him and only want what's best for him. But I also remind him that your human. You can be an idiot just like the rest of us."

"Is that why he still wants to be around me?" Regina asked. "Because you asked him to?" Emma shrugged.

"Maybe," She replied. "But he's really hurt Regina. He thinks he's not good enough for you."

"Of course he is," Regina replied. "It's me that's not good enough for him."

"He doesn't know that though," Emma told her. "Maybe try talking to him. He's not a kid anymore, Regina."

"I want to protect him," Regina replied.

"His mum's died and his other mum just failed to commit suicide, I think we're beyond protecting him," Emma said to Regina bluntly. "Talk to him. Help him understand what you've told me."

"I'll try," Regina told Emma. "But I was never as strong as you."

"No, you were stronger,"

"I wasn't," Regina argued. "I gave into the darkness so many times. You-you became the Dark One and still didn't give in to the darkness."

"Yes, but you came back from the darkness," Emma replied. "And that makes you stronger than me."

"It really doesn't," Regina told her.

"If you really don't think you have the strength, take some of mine," Emma said, stepping closer to Regina. She wrapped her hands around the back of Regina's head and pulled it down gently before lightly kissing it. When she pulled away, she looked Regina in the eye. "This is the last time we can see each other."

"What?" Regina asked, confused and upset. "No! I need you Emma." But Emma shook her head.

"Regina, I'm in a better place, you have to let me go. Move on."

"I can't," Regina told her. "I love you."

"I know, and I love you too," Emma said. "But your life isn't over yet. Mine is. This for the best. I'm doing this because it gives you, and Henry, your best chance."

"I don't care," Regina told her.

"Well I do," Emma said. "This is for the best and you know it. I'm not leaving you really anyway. I'll be with you, in here." She said, pressing her hand onto Regina's chest, feeling her beating heart.

Regina sat up in bed, tears already flowing down her face. She had to set things right with her son. She stood up and walked from her room, across the dark hallway to Henry's room. The light was switched off, but Regina pushed the door open slightly. The moonlight was shining into the room, onto Henry who was sitting by the window, staring outside, into the distant. Regina slipped in and took a seat next to Henry. Henry noticed, but did nothing to acknowledge her until she put an arm around him. He leaned his head onto her shoulder, tears beginning to fall down his face. Neither of them said anything, but they sat their together in silence, crying and holding onto each other until the sun rose.

"You okay?" Regina whispered eventually and Henry shook his head. Regina stroked his hair gently. "Neither am I." Then she paused before speaking again. "Emma visits me as well you know." Henry shrugged.

"Yeah, she told me," Henry replied. "But I want her to be real." His eyes began to fill with tears.

"She is," Regina told him, putting her hand on his chest and feeling his heart beating just like Emma had done to her in her dream. "In here."

"I thought you hated hope speeches," Henry said, managing to smile slightly. "Since when did you get so good at them?" Regina smiled, kissing the top of his head.

"I guess the Charmings' ability to remain hopeful has rubbed off on me over the years," She replied, standing up. "You fancy breakfast at Granny's?" She asked him and he nodded.

"If I can have hot chocolate and cinnamon," Regina had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes slightly. He was so like Emma.

"Sure, I'll meet you downstairs in half an hour, have a shower and get dressed," She told him, a small smile on her face as she left the room. Maybe things would work out after all.

 _ **watch?v=7v12gUFjerU &t=25s**_


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